Adjustable brake-head arrangement



' w. c. HEDGcocK.

l Amusnle BRAKE um Ann/mmm. APPLICATION FILED UGJ?, 192i. 1,434,81 9.Patented Nov. 7, 1922-.

Patented Nov. 7, 19212.

UNTED STATES raten Partnr ortica- WILLIAM C. HEDGCOCK, OF CHICAGO,ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 AMERICAN STEEL FOUNDRIES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ACORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

ADJUSTABLE BRAKE-HEAD ARRANGEMENT.

Application led August 8, 1921. Serial No. 490,502.

To all 107mm it may conce/fm.'

Be it known that I, lVILLiAM C. Hnneoocii, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and uscful improvements inAdjustable Brake-Head Arrangements, of which the following is aspecification.

This' invention relates to an adjustable brake head arrangement.

@ne object of the invention is to provide a simple and improvedarrangement whereby a brake head is permitted to rotate or adjust itselfwhen such is desired and prevented from rotating when it is not desired,the brake head being retained against lon-- gitudinal displacement onthe brake beam sleeve or trunnion when in operative position.

Another object is to provide a simple and improved brake headarrangement in which the parts are reduced to a minimum and co operatein a manner to meet the requirements for successful commercialoperation.

These and other objects are accomplished by means of the arrangementdisclosed on the accompanying sheet of drawing` in which- Figure 1 is avertical sectional View through a brake head embodying my invention,said brake head being shown mounted on a brake beam sleeve or trunnon inits initial assembling position;

Figure 2 is a similar fragmentary sec tional view showing the brake headin its operative position;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken in the plane of line 3 3 of Figure 2;and

Figure l is a sectional view taken in the plane of line 4 4 of Figure 1.

The various novel features of my invention will be apparent from thefollowing descriptionand drawings and will be particularly pointed outin the appended claims.

Referring to the figures of the drawings it will be noted that the brakehead 10 has a cylindrical opening 11 for the reception of a brake beamsleeve or trunnion 12 on which the brake head is adjustably mounted. Thebrake beam trunnion 12 is provided with a eam-shaped peripheral groove18, which., as shown. varies in depth from Zero at the point 11i to itsmaximum depth at the points la The brake head is applied to, the trun-vnon i12 with ltr-#Janien shawn in the ,po-f

sition as indicated in Figure l. Vith the parts in such position thelol-shaped `or forked spring 16 is applied through the lower opening 17of the brake head and caused to straddle the trunnion 12. Under suchconditions the lower forward part of the spring engages and restsagainst an abutment 18 extending between the side walls 19 of the brakehead and the upper forward portion of the spring engages and restsagainst another abutment at 20. The spring when first inserted in place,as above described, occupies the cam-shaped groove but neither of thearms 21 or 22 of the spring engages the floor of the groove. Vith theparts thus relatively arranged, as shown in Figure 1, the trunnion isloose in the opening 11, or in other words, toshow cooperation of theparts, the rear surface of the front wall 23 of the brake head is notengaged by the trunnion 12 and accordingly the brake head may be rotateda given `amount on the trunnion before there is any frictional gripping`action between the brake head and. trunnion.

To place the brake head inoperative position with respect to the brakebeam trunnion 12 the brake head is given a relative clockwise movementwith respect to 'the brake beam trunnion 12. During this relativemovement the rear arm 22 of the spring 16 becomes engaged. by the floorof the camshaped groove 18 and is forced outwardly to the left as shownin Figure l. until said arm 22 of the spring occupies the position shownin Figure 2, in which position a por tion of said arm 22 occupies thehigh spot 14 of the cam-shaped groove 13. rihis derlei:- tion of thespring causes tight contact between the rear surface of the front wall23 of the brake head and the associated portion of the trunnion 12, asshown particularly at 24 in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings. It is atthis point that contact between the brake head and trunnion 12 is mostessential because it is here that the braking forces also tend to causecontact. Accordingly the brake head frictional locking means works inharmony with the braking forces in maintaining contact with the brakehead and the trunnion. Consequently resistance to rotation is caused.This fric tion is sufficiently great to prevent acci-n dental rotationof the brake head upon the trunnio'n 12, but it i not too great for pere*mitting pre1'. auto tic adjustment of the tic brake head on thetrunnion l2 to correct a concentric condition between the brake shoe andassociated Wheel When they are pressed into braking relationship.

By means oi? the spring 16 engaging the cam groove the brake shoeisprevented from accidental Withdrawal from the trunnion l2. The spring16 is prevented trom accidental displacement Jfrom the brake head a keywhich occupies a position directly under the spring lo and extendsthrough openings 26 in the side Walls 1910i theb'rake head.

It is my intention to cover all modifications of' the invention fallingWithin the spirit and scope of the `following claims.

l. In brake mechanism, the combination ot' a brake head having` atrunnion receiving portion, a trunnion upon which the'br'ake head ismounted and having` a cam-shaped groove therein, and a curved springhaving tWo legs associated'with said groove, one leg being at the'fronto!" said trunnion and the other at the rear 'thereof to force said brakehead and trunnion into `trictional engagement for frictionallymaintaining said brake head in adjusted position.

2. In brake mechanism, the combination of a brake head lhaving atrunnion receiving portion, a trunnion 'upon' Which the .brake head ismounted and having a cam-shaped groove therein, and a resilient memberhaving two legs associated with saidgroove and in one position havingone leg at the front ot the trunnion and the other at the rear thereoffor forcing the front Waii ot' the brake head into engagement with theassociated portion of the trunnion for frictionallv maintaining saidbrake head in adjusted position. i

3. In brake mechanism, the combination of a brake head, a support uponwhich said brake head is mounted and having a camshaped groove, aU-shaped springl occupying said groove at the front and rear ot'saidsupport, which spring` When its legs are forced apart a predeterminedamounttorces the support and'bralre head into frictional engagement torfrictional'v maintaining the brake head in adjusted position.v

t. In brake mechanism, the combination of a brake head. a support uponwhich said brake head is mounted and having a camshaped groove, aU-shaped springoccupying said groove at'the frontand rear of saidsupport. which spring `When its legs are forced apart a predeterminedamount forces the support and brake'head into frictional engagement forfrictionallj,Y maintaining'the brake head in adjusted position; andmeans for preventing accidental displacement of said spring.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 2nd dav of August, 1921. l

IVILLIAM C. HEDGCOCK.

